Controlling system.



A. E. LUNDELL.

CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

APPLICATlON FILED FEB. 5. 1911.

1 ,238, 1 6 1 Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEOE.

XLBEN E. LUNDELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONTROLLING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1912 Application filed February 5, 1917. Serial No. 146,678.

[b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBEN E. LUNDELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise and exact description.

This invention relates to key controlling circuits for use in connection with telephone exchange systems of the semi-automatic type.

In systems ofthe semi-automatic type, it is usual to provide an operator with a key set containing a plurality of keys arranged in columns or groups, on which key set she poay set up the designation of the wanted It is broadly the object of this invention to provide means to delay the operation of the system after it has arrived at a certain point, until a key in each column has been depressed, whereupon the operation may be continued until the keys perform no further function. The operation of the system is again delayed at this point until the depressed key in each of the columns has been restored.

More specifically, it is the object of this invention to attain the desired results, above mentioned, in a simple and eflicient manner.

It is desirable to prevent further operation of the system, after the operation has advanced to a certain stage, until a key in each column has been depressed, in order that the operator may have an opportunity to correct any mistake in setting up the number up to the time the last key is depressed. Also it might be possible that a key when depressed would not be locked in its depressed position, and if the operator should fail to notice such failure to lock, the discontinuing of the selective operation would direct her attention to such failure.

It is desirable to prevent further operation of the system in case any of the keys fail to release, since in this event the operator might attempt to set up another number at a later time without noticing the failure of a certain key to release, and the subsequent selection would be incorrectly made.

A feature of the invention is the use of a single relay, which controls circuits to prevent the continuance of the operation until a key in each column has been depressed, and at a subsequent point of operation prevents the further continuance of the operation until all the depressed keys have been released.

The invention as shown and described in the present application is arranged for use in connection with circuits and apparatus as shown in Patent No. 1,168,319 to A. E. Lundell, but it is not to be restricted for use with any specific system, since it may be applied for controlling the setting and release of key sets of a variety of types, and which may be arranged for use in various systems.

It is thought that the invention will best be understood from the following detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing is shown a controlling circuit arrangement embodying the present invention, and such portions of circuits from the above mentioned patent as are necessary to a clear understanding of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, the key set is arranged to include four columns of keys, each key when depressed being locked in its actuated position by means of one of the holding magnets 10, 11, 12 or 13. Associated with each column ofkeys is one of the springs 14,- 15, 16 or 17 the arrangement being such that these springs are normally in engagement with their lower contacts, as viewed in the drawing, but when any key in the column with which a particular spring is associated is depressed, the spring will engage its upper contact.

As shown in the present invention the keys are arranged to be held in their actuated position by means of a magnet individual to each column, but they might, without departing from the spirit of the invention, be arranged to be held in an actuated position by means of a spring-actuated looking bar which would be released upon energization of an associated magnet.

When the district selector sequence switch is moved into position 2 by means of circuits set forth in the above mentioned patent, and after a key in the thousands column has been depressed, a circuit is completed from grounded battery, resistance 18,

winding of relay 19, conductor 20, spring 14: and its upper contact, right-hand contacts of sequence switch spring 30a, and sequence switch spring 208 to ground. The depressed key is locked in its actuated position by means of magnet 10, which is energized over a circuit from grounded battery, contact of sequence switch spring 391, winding of magnet 10 to ground. Relay 19 is not energized in the above traced circuit, since it is shunted by a circuit from grounded battery, resistance 18, right-hand armature and back contact of relay 19, lower contacts of the unactuated springs 15, 16 and 17, conductor 20, spring 1a and its upper contact to ground, over the circuit traced above.

The hundreds, tens and units keys are then depressed by the operator and locked up by their magnets 11, 12 and 13 which are energized in multiple with the magnet 10. It is obvious that unless a key in each column is depressed, the previously traced shunt about the windings of relay 19 will exist and this relay will not be energized. However, when a key in each column has been depressed, the shunt circuit is broken at the lower contact of the spring 14, 15, 16 or 17 last to be actuated and relay 19 is energized. A circuit is then completed from grounded battery, winding of test relay 309, sequence switch spring 390, left-hand armature and front contact of relay 19 to ground. Belay 309 is energized and completes a circuit from grounded battery, power magnet of sequence switch 300, sequence switch spring 392, armature and front contact of relay 309 to ground, for moving sequence switch 300 out of position 1 and into position 2 under the control of its normal contact 301.

The operation of the system will be continued from this point, as shown in the above mentioned patent, until sequence switch 300 arrives in position 9. The sequence switch 300 remains in position 9 until moved into position 10 by means of the circuits now to be described. On leaving position 8 the circuits of the key-holding magnets 10, 11, 12 and 13 are broken at contact 891, and these magnets deenergize.

Relay 19 upon energization was maintained energized over a circuit from grounded battery, resistance 18, winding of relay 19, springs 14, 15, 16 and 17, and their upper contacts in multiple, and the left-hand contact of sequence switch spring 30a to ground.

The de'energization of the key-holding magnets should result in the release of the depressed. keys. Should any of these keys not be released, the springs 14, 15, 16 or 17 associated with such unreleased keys would not be restored from their actuated positions in engagement with their upper con tacts, and therefore the holding circuit of relay 19 would not be broken. If all the keys are successfully released, the circuit of magnet 19 will be broken and it will deenergize, completing a circuit from grounded battery, power magnet of sequence switch 300, lower contact of sequence switch spring 392, left-hand armature and back contact of relay 19 to ground, for moving the sequence switch out of position 9 and into position 10. Further progress of the sequence switch 300 is made under the control of circuits disclosed and described in the above mentioned patent.

What is claimed is:

1. In a controlling system, a key set com-' prising a plurality of keys arranged in groups, means to retain said keys in an actuated position when operated, means to re lease said keys at a desired time, a multiposition switch, and a single means to control movement of said switch from a certain position only after a key in each group has been depressed and to control movement of said switch from a certain other position only after all of said keys have been released.

2. In a controlling system, a key set comprising a plurality of keys arranged in groups, means to retain said keys in an actuated position when operated, means to release said keys at a desired time, a relay. a switch, controlling circuits therefor, certain of said circuits being controlled at contacts of said relay, means to energize said relay only after a key in each of said groups has been actuated, and means to maintain said relay 1n an energized condition until all of said actuated keys have been released.

9. In a controlling system, a key set comprlsing a plurality of keys arranged in groups, means to retain said keys in an actuated position when operated, means to release said keys at a desired time, a relay, a multi-position switch, controlling circuits therefor, certain of said circuits being controlled at contacts of said relay, means to energize said relay only after a key in each of said groups has been actuated to allow movement of said switch from a certain position, and means to maintain said relay in an energized condition until all of said actuated keys have been released, said relay when de'energized completing a circuit to allow movement of said switch from a certain other position.

4;. In a controlling system, a key set comprising a plurality of keys arranged in groups, a contact member individual to each group of keys and operable upon actuation of any key in its associated group, contacts tacts controlled thereby in such a manner that said shunt circuit is effective to prevent energization of said relay until all of said contact members have been actuated.

5. In a controlling system, a key set comprising a plurality of keys arranged in groups, a contact member individual to each group of keys and operable upon actuation of any key in the associated group, contacts controlled thereby, a relay, an energizing circuit therefor, a shunt circuit therefor, said circuits being connected in multiple to said contact members and certain contacts controlled thereby in such a manner that said shunt circuit is effective to prevent cnergization of said relay until all of said contacts have been actuated, and a connection between certain other contacts controlled by said contact member such that said relay when energized is maintained energized until all of said contact members have assumed their normal position upon the restoration of their associated keys.

6. In a controlling system, a key set com prising a plurality of keys arranged in groups, means to retain said keys in an actuated position when operated, means to release said keys at a desired time, a contact member individual to each group of keys and operable upon actuation of any key in its associated group, contacts controlled thereby, a multi-position switch, a relay, an energizing circuit therefor, a shunt circuit therefor, said circuits being connected in multiple to said contact members and certain contacts controlled thereby in such a manner that said shunt circuit is effective to prevent energization of said relay until all of said contact members have been actuated, means operative upon the energization of said relay to move said switch from a certain position, a connection between said other contacts controlled by said contact members, such that said relay when energized is maintained energized until all of said contact members have assumed their normal position upon restoration of their associated keys, said relay when deenergized completing a circuit to allow movement of said switch from a certain other position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 2nd day of February A. D., 1917.

ALBEN E. LUN DELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

